title: Should a modern antihypertensive drug possess cardioprotective properties?
abstract: PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS: Treatment of hypertension has been shown to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This is especially true for the beneficial effect against stroke. The protective effects against coronary heart disease have also been significant but numerically less impressive than the effect against stroke. It is conceivable that a modern drug should possess cardioprotective properties in order to achieve a better protection against coronary heart disease. EFFECTS OF MIBEFRADIL: The novel calcium antagonist mibefradil, which blocks both transient (T) and long-lasting (L) calcium channels, has a hemodynamic profile which may have cardioprotective properties. Mibefradil reduces arterial pressure by a vasodilating effect with little or no effect on cardiac output. Recently reported effects of antihypertensive treatment with a calcium antagonist on stroke morbidity in the European trial on systolic hypertension (Syst-Eur) have confirmed previous findings with a calcium antagonist in the Shanghai Trial Of Nifedipine in the Elderly (STONE). Thus the pharmacodynamic profile of mibefradil might offer additional cardioprotective benefit. This possibility deserves assessment in a proper prospective intervention study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, University of Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hansson
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers